Mateo Peterson (Mateo Ramirez Jr.)

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Age: 15

Appearance:

Slender, with wide, watchful eyes and dark hair that falls into his face. Often wears oversized sweaters or hoodies, as if trying to disappear. Rarely speaks at first, but his hands are always busy: sketching, folding paper, tracing lines only he understands.

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Background Story:

Son of Sadie Ramirez, named after his uncle, Sgt. Mateo Ramirez. Abducted alongside his mother by Kessler, who used him as leverage to pressure Ethan. Nonverbal for weeks due to trauma, he communicates through detailed drawings that slowly reveal the truth of his captivity and his uncle’s death.

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Key Traits:

Observant, artistic, deeply intuitive, quietly courageous. Processes the world visually. Trust is earned slowly, but once given, it’s unwavering.

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​​Arc:

Begins as a symbol of silenced trauma. Through safety, consistency, and the validation of his art, he becomes an active truth-teller. His journey isn’t about “getting over” fear, but learning to speak through it, first in drawings, then in words. By the end, he’s not just healed, he’s a healer.